Wigan man who spat in partner's face, bit and tried to strangle her can't remember attack

Court reporter

A man who spat in his partner’s face and tried to strangle her during a vicious assault cannot remember what happened, a court heard.

Andrew Grundy, 23, of Warrington Road, Ince, attacked Terri Lathom in their home in the early hours of the morning on December 3.

Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard Grundy had returned home at 1am after drinking a bottle of whisky with his grandfather after the death of his great-grandmother the day before.

Joanne Cronshaw, prosecuting, said he went upstairs and kissed Ms Lathom, before going downstairs.

When Ms Lathom heard a bang, she went to investigate and Grundy told her the television was broken. She saw the remote control on the floor without batteries and believed he had thrown it at the television, the court heard.

Ms Cronshaw said Grundy became aggressive and started blaming Ms Lathom for his great-grandmother’s death.

He hit her face twice and spat at her, with saliva landing on her forehead.

Grundy headbutted a wall, grabbed Ms Lathom by the neck, pushed her against a sofa and tried to strangle her, the court heard.

He bit her right shoulder, piercing the skin, and the back of her head bled after either being punched and banged on a thermostat.

Ms Lathom asked Grundy to get a tissue and when he went upstairs, she managed to run away.

She suffered bleeding, bruises and pain in the attack, the court heard.

When interviewed, Grundy said he had been upset and drinking after the death of his great-grandmother and could not remember anything other than kissing Ms Lathom.

Ms Cronshaw said: “He says the next thing he remembers is waking up the next morning covered in sick and faeces.”

The court heard it was not the first time he had assaulted her during their four-year relationship, with a domestic abuse conviction for battery and criminal damage in 2015.

Ms Lathom had arranged for her children to live elsewhere after he attacked her in front of them and a probation officer said police had been called three times in 2015 and 2017 to a verbal argument and two alleged assaults.

The relationship was now over and she wanted a restraining order, the court heard.

Grundy, who was not represented in court, told magistrates he had no intention of resuming the relationship.

“I just want to close that chapter of my life and move towards the future,” he said.

He had pleaded guilty to assault by beating at an earlier court hearing. Sentencing, Anthony Coffee, chairman of the bench, said: “It’s a very bad assault.”

He handed down a 12-month community order, with 33 days for the Building Better Relationships programme, 15 rehabilitation activity days and 80 hours of unpaid work. He also imposed a 12-month restraining order banning Grundy from contacting Ms Lathom and going to her home in Ince. Grundy was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs, £85 victim surcharge and £150

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